Monthly Archives: December 2016

As winter quickly approaches in the nation’s capital and as the fall semester draws to an end, one group of men at the George Washington University have a great reason to celebrate. On Sunday, December 11, 26 men were welcomed into the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity as the District of Columbia Alpha Colony.

Colony members and other attendees gathered at the Marvin Center at on December 11 for the official colonization ceremony, led by Province President Scott Lynch (Pittsburgh ‘97). In attendance were Colony Advisory Board (CAB) Chairman Austin DeRay (Mercer ‘10), CAB Financial Advisor Alex Stefanic (Clemson ’11), CAB Education Advisory Tim Alford (Ohio Wesleyan ’14), CAB Academic Advisor Matt Zembrzuski (NC State ’98), CAB Member-at-Large Will Turanchik (Akron ’90), Phi Delta Theta Survey Commissioner and President of the DC Alumni Club David Almacy (Widener ‘92), Faculty Advisor Mike Steele, and several local Phi Delta Theta alumni. You could feel the enthusiasm in the room as everyone welcomed the first Phi Delta Theta colony in Washington, D.C.

The colonization ceremony brings great excitement to Leadership Consultants Alex Atkinson (Missouri Western ’16) and BJ Henderson (Wisconsin ’16) as they worked to recruit and provide organizational assistance to the men of this colony. They have no doubt that the leaders of the colony will guide them to become a leading Greek organization in the near future.

During the ceremony, numerous individuals provided words of encouragement to the colony. David Almacy stated that “you must remain steadfast through it all” when dealing with the good and the bad that comes with being a member of the Fraternity. Colony President Alexander Evers noted that the colony men will now come together through a deeper meaning within the Fraternity. Others who spoke discussed how thrilled and happy they were to have an official Phi Delta Theta colony in the District.

Throughout the recruitment process, the Expansion team searched for individuals who will embrace the Phi Delta Theta values, and they were able to find high caliber men who are leaders at the George Washington University. The group’s members come from different backgrounds and each have varying majors and interests, but they have all come together and are willing to put forth the time and effort to bring Phi Delta Theta to GWU. Additionally, the colony’s members currently have a 3.5 GPA, placing them in competition with fellow Greek organizations.

There were several individuals who provided great assistance during the development of the colony. A special thank you is in order for the Colony Advisory Board, the George Washington University and the alumni in the area who helped developed this group.

December 11, 2016 is a date that every District of Columbia Alpha Colony man will remember as they each begin their journey with Phi Delta Theta. It will also be a date to remember as the Fraternity works to add another chapter to its rich history by officially expanding to the District of Columbia.

Colonization ceremony for the men of the DC Alpha Colony of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity located at George Washington University in Washington, DC

All members, guests, family and friends of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity are cordially invited to attend the Colonization Ceremony of Washington, DC Alpha on the campus of George Washington University. Recruitment efforts officially began this fall and we are pleased to be able to take this next important step in the process of establishing a chapter at GWU.

The ceremony will take place on Sunday, December 11, 2016 at 2 PM ET in GWU’s Marvin Center, Room 309. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. Business attire (coat and tie) is requested.

Please RSVP via Eventbrite. We expect a large turnout by friends/family of the colony, GWU Greek Life community, local area Phi Delt undergraduates and alumni so we kindly ask that you RSVP by Wednesday, December 7, 2016 so that we can plan accordingly.